We’re nerds for politics. There are certain Alibi staffers who browse campaign literature or compare YouTube clips for fun. We scan polling after hours. I’m partial to reading the full text of long, boring speeches. On the weekend. Not everyone wants to bash brains over political minutiae with other election-loving jerks. We understand. That’s why we’ve tried to create a convenient, user-friendly guide to the primary on Tuesday, June 5. You’ll find easy-to-read grids comparing how the candidates stack up on the issues. A panel of editorial staffers met with nearly all of the candidates at Alibi HQ to talk shop. We always press folks for specifics and try to make sure we get beyond the rhetoric.A meeting with us is really a meeting with our 178,000 readers, so candidates who can’t make the time to come in don’t get our vote. We tried to dig up info on those folks just the same—but having a good-looking website with decently phrased issue positions doesn’t matter much. A candidate’s web designer or ghost writer isn’t on the ballot. This is a fascinating election cycle, and some of the best races are local. It’s easy to pin your ideology on a celebrity presidential race. We didn’t endorse there because you already made up your mind about the president of these United States, no? But who are the politicians determining where your tax money is invested, whether you’re charged with a felony or if a megaplex shopping center gets built in that field down the way? Better read up. And when you’re in the voting booth, go to alibi.com on your smartphone to refresh your memory.Look for the Alibi’s general election guide in the fall. That one will include info on the folks who want to be your legislators, as well as candidates not discussed here. (We only spoke to candidates who are in challenged primary races this time around.) Thanks to all of the people who came to our offices for a chat. There’s no time like endorsement interview time for the Alibi selection board: Sam Adams, Carolyn Carlson, Christie Chisholm, me, Laura Marrich and Margaret Wright. And extra special thanks to the extended Alibi family—webmonkeys, production crew—who made our griddy dreams come true.
See you back here on Thursday, Oct. 25, for our General Election Guide! (Don't forget that Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6, and you can still register for that even if you missed the primary deadline.)
